Why is Kayla Nicole being accused of racism? Travis Kelce’s ex deletes X account following backlash over alleged old inappropriate tweets

Kayla Nicole, media personality and ex-girlfriend of NFL star Travis Kelce, has deactivated her X (formerly Twitter) account following backlash over a series of allegedly racist and homophobic tweets that resurfaced this week.

As reported by Us Weekly on November 8, 2025, multiple posts dating as far back as 2010 recently began circulating online, leading to renewed scrutiny of the 34-year-old Pre-Game podcast host. The Daily Mail first reported on the alleged tweets, which reportedly included offensive language and discriminatory remarks.

The timing of the controversy follows Nicole’s viral Halloween costume, which was allegedly a recreation of Toni Braxton’s He Wasn’t Man Enough music video that had already stirred speculation about potential shade directed toward Taylor Swift, Kelce’s fiancée.

As the online outrage grew, Nicole quietly deactivated her X profile on Thursday, though her Instagram account remained active as of Saturday. Representatives for Nicole have not issued a statement regarding the same at the time of press.

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More about Kayla Nicole's Halloween costume

Kayla Nicole’s Halloween get-up quickly became the subject of online debate. Allegedly dressed as Toni Braxton from her 2000 hit He Wasn’t Man Enough, Nicole reportedly danced and lip-synced the song’s pointed lyrics,

"Do you know I dumped your husband, girlfriend?"

Many fans and observers reportedly assumed that this was a message toward Taylor Swift. Fans drew parallels to Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl track Opalite, where Swift seemingly references Kelce’s former partner with the lyric,

"She was in her phone, and you were just a pose"

Kayla Nicole later addressed the speculation on her podcast, The Pre-Game With Kayla Nicole. She said that the inspiration for her costume came from childhood memories of listening to the song with a childhood friend named Taylor.

"I had a white best friend. Her name was Taylor. I specifically remember driving home from private school in my uniform in the back of a paddy wagon with Taylor, and her mom was playing this song."

She added that the moment was her “a-ha” realization that “white people listen to Black people's music as well.” Despite her clarification, online criticism continued, particularly after her alleged old tweets resurfaced just days later, according to Us Weekly.

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Kayla Nicole talks about online scrutiny

Kayla Nicole has long been candid about the difficulties of navigating fame in the shadow of her high-profile relationship with Travis Kelce.

Travis Kelce and Kayla Nicole at the NFL Honors show at the YouTube Theater on February 10, 2022, in Inglewood, California. (Image via Getty)

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE on October 14, 2025, she talked about how constant media attention and sensationalized headlines have affected her mental health.

"Sometimes I will click an article if I feel the headline is so sensationalized. My mouth almost drops when I see some things about me because you click the link, get to the article, you read the article, and almost nothing about the article supports the headline. It’s pretty disheartening"

Following her 2022 split from Kelce, Nicole refocused her career on wellness and media projects, launching her fitness and lifestyle brand Tribe Therepē and her pop culture podcast, The Pre-Game With Kayla Nicole. She’s also spoken openly about prioritizing therapy and mental health, saying,

"I’ve really had to lean on my mental health routine to get me through some of the hardest times"

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The resurfacing of Nicole’s alleged tweets has reignited broader discussions about accountability and social media history. While some fans have called for understanding given the posts’ age, others have demanded a public apology. The controversy comes as Nicole continues to expand her media profile and fashion ventures, including a recent debut at New York Fashion Week.

Edited by Devangee